Home U.S. Coin Forum
Options

what distance do you have from lens to coin?

For those of you showing awesome close-ups -> what focal distance do you use?

Do you use manual focus or auto focus?

Do you zoom in so coin fills screen or do you crop final picture?

Do you use a timer or click shutter manually?



just curious (and frustrated with my lame attempts)

Comments

  • Options
    drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,028 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Distance: 11.25"
    Manual Focus
    Crop
    Timer
    f22
    image
  • Options
    cheezhedcheezhed Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    For the sharpest pictures at close focusing distances the lens aperture has to be stopped down to its smallest setting for maximum depth of field.

    Also to minimize shake, a copy stand should be used.

    For best results a macro lens should be used.
    Many happy BST transactions
  • Options
    what focal distance do you use? 12"

    Do you use manual focus or auto focus? Auto focus

    Do you zoom in so coin fills screen or do you crop final picture? Yes, I zoom with the camera and crop with
    Microsoft Photo Editor.

    Do you use a timer or click shutter manually? I use the timer



    image



  • Options
    (Caveat: I might be in a somewhat special situation because of the wheelchair. I don't know if someone who stands would do it this way)

    When I take my pictures, I'm normally no more than a few inches (< 6) away from the coin. I've got a desk set up at seated height, and I take all my pictures there. I have a tripod that I use, and sometimes I go freehand.

    I always use autofocus.

    I never zoom in. I crop the photo later. (Most of my photos come out large enough on their own, so zooming isn't an issue.)

    I click manually.

    For my birthday I'm getting a "Studio-In-A-Box" with a copy stand, backdrop and lighting, so I'll have to learn to use those.
    If you haven't noticed, I'm single and miserable and I've got four albums of bitching about it that I would offer as proof.

    -- Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows


    My Ebay Auctions
    image
  • Options
    LindeDadLindeDad Posts: 18,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
    About 7 to 9 inches. Macro engaged

    Auto focus.

    Copy stand.

    Remote shutter release.

    I place the slab to get a full screen image. And use PhotoShop to crop and or adjust the image. Or make duel images of both obverse and reverse.
  • Options
    mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    up to a foot or more depending upon the coin size.

    Manual focus - SLR's are good at this

    No zoom, single focal length lens, 150mm, I make the coin as big on the screen as possible.

    Use a self-timer or mirror lock to minimize motion at shutter release.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • Options
    Good thread, good info. Now I understand how some of you are getting such good lighting on the coin. 12" or more is a lot of space to work with.

    Now for macro closeups of rpm's and doubled dies, I'm at 22-28mm with the copy stand.
    Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

    Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."

    image
  • Options
    MikeInFLMikeInFL Posts: 10,188 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>For those of you showing awesome close-ups -> what focal distance do you use?

    Do you use manual focus or auto focus?

    Do you zoom in so coin fills screen or do you crop final picture?

    Do you use a timer or click shutter manually?
    >>



    In the order you ask...

    Usually between 180 and 200mm, and a little over a foot away from the coin.

    Manual focus exclusively.

    I zoom in to make the coin as large as possible, although for the smaller coins a crop is also necessary.

    Manual shutter release, but I use a remote shutter release to ensure no camera shake.

    image

    Full EXIF Info
    Date/Time 23-Oct-2006 21:51:03
    Make Nikon
    Model D100
    Flash Used No
    Focal Length 200 mm
    Exposure Time 1/13 sec
    Aperture f/11
    ISO Equivalent 200
    Exposure Bias -2/3
    White Balance custom
    Metering Mode center weighted (2)
    JPEG Quality RAW
    Exposure Program manual (1)
    Focus Distance 1.5'
    Collector of Large Cents, US Type, and modern pocket change.
  • Options
    LeianaLeiana Posts: 4,349
    For those of you showing awesome close-ups -> what focal distance do you use?

    I am about 4 inches from the coin (my camera's macro mode focal length)

    Do you use manual focus or auto focus? Auto (my camera doesn't do manual, or I haven't figured it out yet.)

    Do you zoom in so coin fills screen or do you crop final picture? I crop.

    Do you use a timer or click shutter manually? I use a timer.

    image

    I have just a regular digital camera, but I would really LOVE an SLR someday!

    -Amanda
    image

    I'm a YN working on a type set!

    My Buffalo Nickel Website Home of the Quirky Buffaloes Collection!

    Proud member of the CUFYNA
  • Options
    ldhairldhair Posts: 7,133 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I use a sigma 150 macro lens. It gives you lots of room for light.
    It puts the lens about 12 inches away on a cent and twice that on a half dollar.
    I use manual focus only and the software I use lets me adjust the camera and take the shot from the PC.
    The images come off the camera at about 3400X2300. I crop what I need from that.
    image
    Larry

  • Options
    DennisHDennisH Posts: 13,964 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If I'm shooting an entire coin:
    -- 60mm macro lens
    -- autofocus
    -- handheld (until I finally buy a tripod one of these days)
    -- 800 ISO setting
    -- available light
    -- typically somewhere around f11-16
    -- I usually shoot from about 2 feet away, to help make the depth of field sharpness with mid-range f-stops better (as opposed to shooting much closer, where depth of field becomes very shallow)

    If I'm shooting a tiny VAM detail:
    -- 60mm macro lens
    -- manual focus, with the lens set to minimum focusing distance (about 2 inches) and actual size reproduction ratio... which means I have to gradually move the camera into the focus point
    -- 800 ISO setting
    -- available light
    -- typically somewhere around f8, because I opt for a slightly faster shutter speed to (hopefully) compensate for breathing and not having a tripod
    -- shoot multiple images and hope one turns out acceptably
    When in doubt, don't.
  • Options
    SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,886 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just reviewing my Coins > Photography favorites folder and came across this.
    With all the photography posts lately it might prove informative to some.
  • Options
    For a full coin pic,

    Canon Powershot S5
    about 10" from lens to subject
    Macro setting and use zoom
    Manual focus
    F8
    ASA 80
    Timer on a copy stand and anti-shake turned on

    For a section of a coin, I use super macro setting and take from a couple of inches away.

    I use Photoshop Elements to crop. Microsoft Picture It to straighten the coin if needed.




    image
  • Options
    Type2Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I use a walmart specal with a 10x loupe. image


    Hoard the keys.
  • Options
    Canon Powershot A530
    about 13.25" from lens to subject
    Macro setting and use zoom/digital - 6.5x for halves. I get as close to frame fill as I can without missing anything.
    Manual focus
    F5.5
    ASA 400
    2 second timer on a copy stand.

    I use Adobe Photoshop for cropping and rotation if necessary.
    Exclusively collecting Capped Bust Halves in VF to AU, especially rarity 3 and up.
    image
    Joe G.
    Great BST purchases completed with commoncents123, p8nt, blu62vette and Stuart. Great coin swaps completed with rah1959, eyoung429 and Zug. Top-notch consignment experience with Russ.
  • Options
    LongacreLongacre Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
    Some amazing pics in this thread. I really should practice more with my picture taking. Mine come terrible.
    Always took candy from strangers
    Didn't wanna get me no trade
    Never want to be like papa
    Working for the boss every night and day
    --"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
  • Options


    << <i>Some amazing pics in this thread. I really should practice more with my picture taking. Mine come terrible. >>



    It took me a lot of practice, and trial and error to get where I'm at with my pics, and I still see a lot of room for improvement:

    image

    And, should I reduce my image size a bit??
    Exclusively collecting Capped Bust Halves in VF to AU, especially rarity 3 and up.
    image
    Joe G.
    Great BST purchases completed with commoncents123, p8nt, blu62vette and Stuart. Great coin swaps completed with rah1959, eyoung429 and Zug. Top-notch consignment experience with Russ.
  • Options
    IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,738 ✭✭✭
    I have an Olympus which has a supermacro focus so distance in not very relevant. To capture the entire coin I usually shoot about 6 inches away using a sturdy tripod and self timer and noise reduction on. Depending on the coin I adjust the F stop, white balance, sharpness,contrast and saturation. The olympus has settings that you can plug in automatically to save time adjusting to all of these variables. I have seperate settings for copper, silver and toned coins. I've shot so many photos I can usually figure out ahead of time what settings are necessary especially the WB.

    When shooting for VAMS I get as close to coin as possible, usually about 2 inches. Here is an example taken at an automatic setting for toners.


    image
  • Options
    TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,540 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Depending on the coin size - up to 12-14". Manual focus. Single focal length lens, Sigma 105mm. Self-timer or mirror lock during shutter release, currently waiting on the remote to come in.
  • Options


    << <i>

    << <i>Some amazing pics in this thread. I really should practice more with my picture taking. Mine come terrible. >>



    It took me a lot of practice, and trial and error to get where I'm at with my pics, and I still see a lot of room for improvement:


    And, should I reduce my image size a bit?? >>



    If you reduce your image size with Photoshop, unchecking the box for resample will keep all your pixels at the new smaller size and give better resolution. I usually cut it down to either 3 or 4 inches, then using Photomerge, put the two sides together.


    image
  • Options
    ...And, should I reduce my image size a bit??



    << <i>If you reduce your image size with Photoshop, unchecking the box for resample will keep all your pixels at the new smaller size and give better resolution. I usually cut it down to either 3 or 4 inches, then using Photomerge, put the two sides together. >>



    Nice tip, thanks. image
    Exclusively collecting Capped Bust Halves in VF to AU, especially rarity 3 and up.
    image
    Joe G.
    Great BST purchases completed with commoncents123, p8nt, blu62vette and Stuart. Great coin swaps completed with rah1959, eyoung429 and Zug. Top-notch consignment experience with Russ.
  • Options
    Canon 30D
    Canon 100mm f2.8 macro
    F8.0
    shot from about 12" away using a tripod
    Shot with manual settings including white balance

    image
    image
  • Options
    57loaded57loaded Posts: 4,967 ✭✭✭
    I should get a fixed macro for my pentax digital, but use a 28-55 zoom. about 4 inches away getting a 10 megapixel jpeg.

    a copy stand would help bacuese a tripod and a dining table are never perpendicular and with narrow depth of field and closeups, i'm sure that would help some. If I took RAW and converted i'd probably get a perfect shot via photoshop.

    I manual focus, do not use auto focus.

    I crop and resize using irfanview.... it's a freebie that does it fast and easy. photoshop for auto fix of any color balance. i just want to get an acceptable photo, not a work of art

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file